KARACHI: Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)’s hopes of sealing their berth in the final of the President’s Cup one-day tournament received a rude shock on Sunday when previously bottom-placed Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) upstaged the table-toppers by a convincing margin of seven wickets.
Put into bat at the Iqbal Stadium in Faisalabad by Wapda skipper Mohammad Ayub Dogar, KRL mustered an inadequate 157 all out in 44 overs.
Ayub then guided Wapda to only their third victory by striking seven boundaries in a 102-ball contribution of 67. Wicket-keeper Kaleem Ahmed (33 off 53 balls, four fours) also played a useful hand in the unfinished partnership of 83 with his captain as Wapda emerged winners with 37 deliveries to spare.
KRL, who were unbeaten in the competition until last Saturday (Jan 12) when champions Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) won against them, have completed their fixtures with seven wins, two losses and one no-result to still head the standings.
But that could change when the last round of matches are staged next Monday (Jan 27) since both National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) — who won on Saturday against Pakistan Television (PTV) — SNGPL are breathing down KRL’s necks two points behind the leaders
If both win then the net run-rate would come into play to decide which of the two teams compete in the Jan 30 final.
Meanwhile, Port Qasim Authority (PQA) are also in the running after completing a thrilling victory by six runs against Pakistan International Airlines here at the Southend Club Cricket Stadium.
Faisal Iqbal, the forgotten Pakistan batsman, notched up his seventh List-A. The 32-year-old right-hander, who also has an ODI ton to his credit, almost singlehandedly kept PIA in the hunt with a flawless 102 from 105 balls that featured nine fours and one six.
PIA, chasing 240 after PQA had reached 239-9 in their 45 overs, were dismissed for 233 with three deliveries left unused in the last over of the match.
Faisal came to the wicket when PQA’s pace duo of Sohail Khan and Mohammad Sami had reduced the national carrier to five for three. Wicket-keeper Anop Ravi (50 off 78 balls, five fours) partnered Faisal in an inning-reviving stand of 98.
All-round Tahir Khan bludgeoned three sixes and as many fours in a blistering 36-ball 55 during the 79-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Faisal.
Sohail finished four wickets for 53 runs in 7.3 overs. All-rounder Kamran Younis bagged three for 35 in eight overs with his slow left-armers, including the prized scalp of Faisal.
Earlier, Tanvir Ahmed, the ex-Pakistan paceman who scored his maiden first-class century against the same opponents in the President’s Trophy a few days ago, plundered nine fours and three sixes in a career-best 79 off 56 balls to lift PQA out of deep trouble.
Put into bat by PIA’s stand-in captain Najaf Shah, PQA lost five wickets for 54 runs before Tanvir joined Daniyal Ahsan (67 not out off 80 balls, seven fours and one six) in a stand that yielded 107 runs.
Shahid Afridi made a rare return on the domestic circuit as Habib Bank Limited (HBL) trounced Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) by six wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
But the big-hitting Pakistan all-rounder endured a mixed day. After picking up three wickets for 28 runs in 7.1 overs as ZTBL were all out for 153, Afridi was gone for a golden duck, caught behind by Shakeel Ansar off paceman Imran Khan.
The star of the game, however, was out-of-favour Pakistan paceman Ehsan Adil who returned career-best analysis of six for 16 in seven overs, including the wickets of internationals Sharjeel Khan (5), Imran Nazir (4) and Yasir Hameed (57).
Ehsan also had a hand in the dismissal of ZTBL captain and Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq whom he caught off Afridi for a 48-ball 22.
HBL knocked off the runs in just 21.4 overs for only their third win with 128 balls to spare.
On a blustery day in Karachi, United Bank Limited (UBL) blew away State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) by seven wickets at the UBL Sports Complex.
Opting to bat first, SBP capitulated inside 31 overs for just 115. Slow left-armer Kashif Bhatti destroyed the middle order with five for 30 in nine overs. Paceman Adil Raza took three for 25 in 6.3 overs.
UBL batted without being troubled to chalk up their fourth victory with 107 balls left.
Sunday’s results:
At UBL Sports Complex, Karachi: United Bank Limited beat State Bank of Pakistan by seven wickets.
State Bank of Pakistan 115 in 30.3 overs (Farhan Khan 42, Jalat Khan 23, Jahid Ali 22; Kashif Bhatti 5-30, Adil Raza 3-25); United Bank Limited 118-3 in 27.1 overs (Ali Asad 39, Khaqan Arsal 25 not out, Saeed bin Nasir 24 not out).
At Southend Club Cricket Stadium, Karachi: Port Qasim Authority beat Pakistan International Airlines by six runs.
Port Qasim Authority 239-9 in 45 overs (Tanvir Ahmed 79, Daniyal Ahsan 67 not out, Sohail Khan 24, Kamran Younis 23; Najaf Shah 3-29, Aizaz Cheema 3-40); Pakistan International Airlines 233 in 44.3 overs (Faisal Iqbal 102, Tahir Khan 55, Anop Ravi 50; Sohail Khan 4-53, Kamran Younis 3-35).
At Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: Water and Power Development Authority beat Khan Research Laboratories by seven wickets.
Khan Research Laboratories 157 in 44 overs (Ali Khan 34, Zain Abbas 32; Mohammad Fayyaz 3-16, Mohammad Mohsin 2-17, Khalid Usman 2-21); Water and Power Development Authority 158-3 in 38.5 overs (Mohammad Ayub Dogar 67 not out, Kaleem Ahmed 33 not out; Saeed Anwar Jr 3-25).
At Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Habib Bank Limited beat Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited by six wickets.
Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited 153 in 39.1 overs (Yasir Hameed 57, Zohaib Khan 44, Abdul Razzaq 22; Ehsan Adil 6-16, Shahid Afridi 3-28); Habib Bank Limited 156-4 in 21.4 overs (Aftab Alam Khan 46 not out, Bilal Shafayat 42, Hasan Raza 33 not out; M. Imran Khan 2-46, Zohaib Khan 2-56).